First trip to Europe? I will be traveling to Paris, France in September with one of my best friends who has never been to Europe before.

It got me thinking of my first trip to Europe (which was also to Paris) almost two decades ago. As an American on a first trip to Europe, here are my top 10 things to know before you go.

I think being prepared for things in advance can help manage expectations, which always makes for a better travel experience.

Be free to enjoy all the spectacular experiences that a first trip to Europe has to offer, without getting annoyed that things are a little different from back home. After all, the whole point of travel is to see and experience new and different things!

1. Passport/Visas

The European Union doesn’t require a Visa for Americans yet. That will change come mid-2025.

Passports need to be valid for at least 6 months after the last day of the trip. Some airlines won’t even let you on the plane if the passport has less than 6 months until it expires.

Passports most likely won’t be a problem on a first trip to Europe because they will be new, but as your love of travel and adventure grows keep this in mind.

2. Money

Notify credit card companies of travel dates if they require that, especially if this is your first trip to Europe. Declined cards could be disastrous.

Also, make sure the credit card has no foreign transaction fees. Otherwise there could be a lot of extra charges waiting once at you get home.

My favorite card right now is the Capital One Venture Card . It has no foreign transaction fees, no pre-travel notification and offers a full reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check.

Plus, I get 2 points for every dollar I spend. I can use those points not only for future hotels or flights, but I can also cancel out travel expenses with points when I get back.

Bring a debit card and go to a local bank to obtain Euros or British Pounds. This will provide the best exchange rate.

I take enough out to last my whole trip. This way I minimize ATM fees and save time. It’s good to have some cash when I’m at a local market or buying street food.

3. Flights

Flights from the US to Europe are all overnight flights on the way there and morning or early afternoon flights on the way back.

First long haul flight? Here are a few tips. Dress comfortably. Flights are 7-10 hours long and what you wear can make all the difference between a relaxing journey and hours of misery.

Clothing

I wear leggings or joggers, a tank or t-shirt and a sweater or sweatshirt. Sometimes I wear a nice scarf with it to look more polished and put together.No jeans or shorts!

Shorts don’t protect your legs enough from dirty airplane seats or people bumping themselves or luggage into you.

I also don’t recommend anything with a tight waistband like jeans. Stomachs expand when flying due to the altitude and this can make things quite uncomfortable.

Flights also get cold over the Atlantic, so a soft and warm sweater or sweatshirt is great to keep me warm. It can also double as a blanket!

What do put in my personal item? I pack all the things in my carryon I think I will need to keep me occupied for hours, as well as keep me comfortable.

Electronics

I always make sure I have wired headphones. I can’t always connect to the airplane entertainment system with my earbuds and don’t want to buy them onboard. My tablet and ear buds are a necessity for reading or watching movies on my own device.

Personal Items

Personal items to keep me comfortable are a necessity. I bring hand wipes instead of hand sanitizer. I not only can clean my hands, but also clean the plane armrests and tray table to keep myself healthy while traveling.

Planes also dry me out, so I need lotion and lip care. I also bring an eye mask and earplugs for sleeping.

Want the ultimate way to fly on your first trip to Europe? Fly First or Business class! I haven’t hacked a First class flight yet, but check out this post on how you can fly business class to Europe for less with this card.

Be careful! I am now spoiled to fly any other way. They also will provide noise cancelling headphones and all the personal care items I previously mentioned. No need to pack those!

Airlines also provide a nice pillow and warm duvet when I’m ready to go to sleep in my lie-flat seat. 😄

4. Checking into the hotel

The front desk will ask for your passport when checking in. They will keep it for a day or so to provide travel information to the local government. Don’t be alarmed. You will get it back.

I take a photo copy of my passport, driver’s license and credit cards and keep it in my suitcase in case anything is lost or stolen. This saves a lot of headache should something happen.

5. Hotels

Hotel rooms in Europe are much smaller than in America. Rooms in Paris for example are the smallest I’ve ever encountered in Europe, with not much more room then to walk around the bed(s).

Rooms usually have one double bed or two of what I refer to as “Euro twin” beds separated by a tiny nightstand. These twin beds are narrower than the twin beds you may be used to in the US.

Use your room only to sleep and shower and then get out there and start exploring and making memories!

6. Electricity in your room

Some hotels will have a key card slot on the wall. Insert your key card to turn on the electricity to the room. Ever been on a cruise? You will be a pro at this already.

Other hotels have very old skeleton keys with a key tag with that has the room number on it. Don’t worry about carrying the keys around, for security purposes you will be expected to leave the key with the front desk when leaving. Just retrieve it upon returning to the hotel.

No need for thieves to know my hotel and room number if my bag is stolen.

Voltage is also different in Europe. America runs on 110 volts and Europe is 220 volts. Take an adaptor and a voltage convertor for plugging in electronics and hair styling tools.

My advice is always to travel light and leave the hair styling tools at home. Hotel rooms usually have a blow dryer, although it may be different than what you are used to. It looks to me more like a vacuum cleaner hose attached to the wall, but it gets the job done. 😂

Don’t be that person shorting out the whole electrical system for the hotel because you plugged in your curling iron or hair straightener from home without a converter.

Take a vacation from normal hair styling routines and go au natural. You are on vacation after all.

Can’t live without your curling iron or hair straightener? Consider buying one in Europe. No doubt you will love Europe so much you will be coming back again and again!

7. Hotel Bathrooms

Not all hotel rooms in Europe come with an attached bathroom. Make sure to check in the room description or find yourself going down the hall. However, the majority of hotels have tiny bathrooms worked into the room.

Bathrooms usually have a very small corner shower, no bathtub, free standing sink, toilet and perhaps a bidet at a fancier hotel. I lucked out and my bathroom in Galway below actually did have a tub, but don’t expect one.

There is usually not a lot of counter space either. Take a break from your elaborate morning makeup routine and relax. Try using less products.

I would also suggest investing in a hanging toiletry case. I like having more room to put things. Check out my post on my other packing essentials.

8. Public Restrooms

You will not find the abundance of public restrooms like you do in the America and most public restrooms require money to use. I jokingly refer to this as “pay to pee”. 😂

Either there will be a turnstile at the entrance to the restroom or a dish near the sink with an attendant to tip for keeping the restroom clean and tidy.

I suggest saving all the coins received as change, as there is nothing worse then having to use the restroom urgently and not having the right change.

On my first trip to London I desperately needed to use the restroom at the train station and the change machine outside the restroom was broken.

Thankfully a nice young women had pity on me and gave me the 10 pence I needed to get through the turnstile. Thank you kind lady wherever you are!

Take advantage of any attraction, museum or restaurant visited and use the restroom, even if you don’t think you have to go. I refer to this as “the preemptive pee”. 😂

Due to the age of buildings, look for the restroom in the basement. Most buildings were built before the invention of indoor plumbing.

Also, when using the restroom in a restaurant or cafe the expectation will be to make a purchase first.

Order a drink at the counter and then ask, “toilet?” which is a more universal term. Traveling to England? Look for the sign that says, W. C. (water closet).

When using a public restroom, the toilet will not always have a toilet seat. Practice your squats before you leave!

Also, there is not always toilet paper. I keep a small pack of tissues in my bag just in case.

Another thing on toilet paper. In Europe most plumbing is very old and sensitive. There will be a small trash can next to the toilet in which to wipe and then throw away the used tissue.

This does take awhile to get used to, but I don’t want to be the person who experiences the overflowing toilet. Embarrassing!

9. Air Conditioning

Most places in Europe do not have air conditioning due to the age of the buildings, including hotels. Keep this in mind when booking if it is important to you.

Also, even if the hotel says it has air conditioning due to Europe’s more strict energy conversation laws they may only be allowed to have it on for certain months of the year.

I suggest avoiding Summer in Europe all together. The heat can be sweltering, there will be a lot of crowds and you will pay a lot more.

Travel in shoulder season instead, or if visiting a big city consider travel in Winter. November or January – March can be great when the Christmas markets are over and will also save you some cash.

10. Restaurants

If you ask for water you will need to be specific and ask for “tap water” and be prepared for some funny looks.

Europeans drink bottled water and the restaurant will serve and charge for bottled water. Water comes in either still or sparkling (gas or no gas).

Drinks in Europe also do not come with ice and are usually not that cold. If you are a soda drinker be prepared for some lukewarm soda as I learned when I ordered my first Diet Coke in Paris. Hot and desperate for an ice cold beverage? Try looking for a McDonalds.

I once had to do that on a particularly steamy day in Rome. Soda is also very expensive in Europe. I suggest having a nice glass of wine for the same price. The house wine in restaurants is very affordable and delicious!

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